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McLoughlin - (pronounced Mac-lockh-lin) ('gh' originally 'ch', thus pronounced as in Irish Loch) is the Modern English form of the surnames for two different, but distantly related septs, both of considerable importance to Irish history. In Gaelic, the word Lochlainn means 'of the lakes' and refers to the Scandinavians (Vikings) from the West of Norway. See Lochlann. Related to the Quinn's who were, contrary to belief, the first Quinn's in Johnstown. They were never allowed in Navan, and were eventually forced to run away from Johnstown to hide in the wilderness of Pelletstown for the remainder of time to settle a feud with the Coffeys.

'Mc' is an English abbreviation of the prefix 'Mac' meaning 'son' (genitive case, 'Mhic', 'son of'; plural, 'Mic', 'sons'). The feminine prefix is 'Ní' or 'Nic', depending on language, dialect and grammatical case (the former more common in Ireland, the latter more common in Scotland). The feminine prefixe

There are several English and Scots variations of the name, including MacLoughlin, McLaughlin, McCloughlin, etc., in Ireland; and, in Scotland, MacLachlan, McLauchlan, McLauchlin, and so on. Mac/Nic Lachlainn is the Scots Gaelic spelling of Mac/Nic Lochlainn (see under the first heading below).

The Ó Máoilsheáchlainns of Meath lost their lands and their power in the centuries following the Norman Invasion - their homeland of Meath even losing its status and being absorbed into Leinster. The family were recorded as O'Melaghlin, and after the 17th century, McLoughlin.

The Northern Uí Néill family expanded from Ulster into Argyll, in Scotland, where Middle Irish 'Mac/Nic Lochlainn' became Modern Scots Gaelic 'Mac/Nic Lachlainn', most commonly spelled 'MacLachlan in Scots and English.